The Internet.
Thursday June 15, 2017

The Internet, what a wonderful creation! The list is endless, I run my whole life from it...

Shopping, banking, news and weather updates, research, communication, music, videos, games. Moodscope of course!! I am sure you could add a few more to the list.

Whatever did we do without it?

Thing is, I find it is a real distraction. I must spend most of my days on it! Okay, when I was working, it was a godsend at times. If I didn't understand something, good old Google!! If I didn't want to ring someone, email! Sending documents through instead of relying on the post. Instant!

Skype! I can talk to my brother and actually see him, when he is in a different country, for free – wow!!

Social Media, another great invention. Or is it? I have recently come off Facebook as it was really not doing my mental health any good at all.

I miss it a little. I liked to be nosey. But did I really want to see that my ex had got married? That all my old friends were having such a great time of it? The 'selfies' from self obsessed (or insecure) people. The annoying comments... The times I had a rant on there and wish I hadn't!! Hours spent reading things for the sake of reading them. Should I not have better things to do with my time!

Oh yes, the wonderful internet.

Yes such a creation. In fact, absolutely amazing! I wouldn't be without it now...

But 20 years ago, I sat comfortably with a book or a magazine. I actually went to the shops and to the Post Office and to the Bank. I had a dictionary to look up words I didn't understand! I watched the news or listened to the radio if I wanted an update on current affairs. I have about 200 CDs (I won't mention the vinyl) but they never get used now.

Oh and if the phone rang, I was full of excitement as to who it might be. That was if I was at home of course. If I was out, then I was enjoying my time out and about without distraction! A hand written letter landing on the door mat was just bliss!

Does anyone else miss those days?

Apologies to the younger audience on here, older people can be very annoying!! Although hats off to the older generation having to master this wonderful internet, that has certainly taken over our lives... in some cases, whether you wanted it to, or not...

Comments

Jane SG Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 5:54am

Good morning Molly. I enjoyed reading your blog. I have often said I would have liked to work in the 1950s when there was little technology! The worse thing is when it goes wrong, like the recent cyber attack that affected the NHS. Everything collapses. If I'm working from home and the Internet crashes I get very stressed! I also have to try and put my mobile away in a drawer some days, when I'm at home, so I'm not constantly looking for messages and wondering why people haven't bothered to reply! So I agree with you, it's a wonderful thing and then sometimes... not so wonderful! Xxx

Molly Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 1:41pm

Hello Jane. Yes, fine when it is working (apart from the negatives mentioned) but how so very frustrating when it goes wrong. It only goes to prove just how reliant we have become with it. It is one of pet hates when people do not reply to text messages. I must admit I sometimes turn my phone off for this very reason! Thank you for responding xx

Leah Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 6:52am

Molly
Thanks for this interesting blog.
I remember my brother telling me about 20 years ago than no one wrote letters any more and I should go on email. I went on email and he said no one answers emails straight away and he felt under pressure when I answered straight away.
I do use the internet a lot and it has been good in getting back in touch with school friends.
I tried one day to go without googling, and I lasted about an hour. I have lots of reference books in my shop(because no one wants to buy them now) but even then I couldn't find the answers that are easily available on google.
Now on birthdays people just send a message on Fb so I rarely get cards anymore. I don't get excited when the phone rings as it is usually someone trying to sell me something I don't need.
I do like getting letters but mostly it is bills or junk mail but now bills are going online too.
If I didn't have the internet I would not be reading your great blog.
Maybe it is about balance - I just can never seem to find that in life.xx

Molly Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 1:53pm

Hi Leah. I reply to everything quite quickly soon, I cannot seem to help it. I went through a stage of getting in touch with old friends then realised that was probably a reason we didn't keep in touch in the first place! Google is great isn't it but again you can spend hours on it. I dislike the phone ringing these days, yes someone trying to sell something or I just don't feel like a conversation. I do prefer emails to phone calls but there is nothing like a handwritten letter or card, so much more personal. Alot of people stopped sending christmas cards (postage costs as well) but I make a point to still send them. Thank you cards are also lovely to receive. Thank you for your response xx

LP Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 8:00am

Hi Molly,
Yes the internet has made a huge difference to my life., everything I want to find out at my fingertips.
Younger generations socialise on it now and are like a fish out of water without it.
My phone tells me the news as I open my eyes in the morning, I think I might try to change that.
I agree with you too about thank goodness for Moodscopers though!
Also when I was at a very low point, in a crisis, feeling unable to cope and like there was no where to turn, it was because I could pick up my phone and search for the Samaritans. Just to tell someone how awful I was feeling. It was that small Action that led to another and started me on a path back up small steps forward, not wanting to go back there.
All in all we are in control, so the benefits outweigh the pitfalls, we can avoid those.

Thanks for your thoughtful blog Molly, sending good wishes to you and all through cyber space! :) LP xx

Molly Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 2:01pm

Hi LP, yes it has made a big difference to my life too, especially as I haven't been able to get out, I would have had to rely on other people much more without the internet, although sometimes I wonder if it would encourage me to go out if I didn't have everything at my fingertips. The Samaritans are fantastic, I email them quite often and they ALWAYS reply within a few hours. Thank you LP, good wishes back to you xx

Orangeblossom Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 8:19am

Thanks for the great blog Molly. It entirely resonated for me. Yes, I also find the internet a great benefit but it is also a mixed blessing. As Leah said it is a question of balance. If we are inclined to hide in our personal spaces, then the internet helps. I do have to have Facebook free days. I shall keep Saturday for that.

Molly Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 2:08pm

Hi Orangeblossom. Yes it is a question of balance and self discipline I guess. It can all be rather addictive though! My husband is addicted to a game on there, but it keeps him occupied I guess! Thank you for your comment xx

Jane SG Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 10:09am

It's very exciting to receive a rare card or letter! X

Leah Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 11:52am

Jane
If someone actually handwrites a card or letter and goes to the trouble to post it, I feel so special.

Jane SG Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 1:35pm

Yes me too! Xx

Molly Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 2:08pm

Me three! xx

David Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 10:15am

Hello, Molly,
Thank you for this blog, the subject matter is very good and well written. It confirms my belief that the Internet can damage your mental health.
Regards David.

Leah Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 11:54am

David
I think the internet can damage but also can help your mental health

Molly Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 2:18pm

Hello David, thank you for the compliment. I do believe Facebook can be very damaging. A whole new blog could be written about that! Moodscope however, I find supportive and I rather like being anonymous, as it eases the paranoia. I hope you find it helps you too. Molly xx

Sue Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 10:20am

Have to agree. Although it is a blessing, it is too easy to spend a lot of time just looking at things. I have just ditched my smart phone for an 'old fashioned' one, and have tried going face-book cold-turkey but was soon back.

Molly Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 2:30pm

Hi Sue, yes it is time consuming and a total distraction at times. I too, have tried to come off facebook before, and not lasted long, it is so addictive. This time however I seem to be persevering. Also, you may have discovered, it is not easy to delete your account. You can usually just get straight back on it! Funnily enough I changed my smart phone for an old fashioned one, but now it is getting on my nerves so I might change back to the smart phone! Although I refuse to use the internet on it, unless I really have to! It is far too fiddly for starters but I 24/7 notifications etc would drive me insane. Thanks Sue xx

Ian Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 10:45am

Thank you Molly, very intetesting. I have a view that the human body and brain was never meant to deal with the amount of information we have in the current world we live in, and the result has been higher mental health issues, higher breakdown in relationships and ever more loneliness and sadness in the world. We need to CONTROL+ALT+DELETE our lives and realise what makes us happy and do it as often as you can. We are here for a good time not a long time...

Leah Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 11:57am

Ian organisations like Moodscope use the internet to help people so it can be used for good. Maybe it is about balance.

Molly Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 2:44pm

I totally agree with you Ian. I think we are all on overload. Leah, yes it is about balance, but the internet has completely taken over our lives. You know soon we will have no interraction with the outside world at all. Not that I have much anyway, but I find it rather scary at times. 'CONTROL+ALT+DELETE our lives' - I love this, a great way to describe it. The internet has become a necessity for most and I feel we definitely need time away from it to feel some peace within ourselves. I even feel this with Moodscope sometimes. Back to basics sometimes feels like such a relief....Thank you Ian xx

The Gardener Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 11:14am

Thanks Molly. Like Jane SG (and I expect many others) the power of the Internet for harm, the seeming impossibility of policing it (seems an out of control monster) and with cyber attacks what we thought was only a James Bond scenario is coming true. I have been incredibly lucky. So many people of my age won't touch the Internet, and why should they? Except in so many spheres they have to go on line, be cut off, or get children to do it for them. But in the 1980's, at somewhat at a loss when the magazine on which I was the political journalist folded, I made the decision (extremely drunk in Corsica when made) to go to University. I got a full grant, and the college of the Uni of London was near home, so no disruption to the household. Then I got another grant, to a pioneer MA in Computer Applications for Historians. In 9 months we had to have some knowledge of the mechanics, do 'A' level statistics or computer programming, have knowledge of Carbon Dating, scanning, concordance, word-processing, spread sheets, data-base, graphics and digital mapping. I failed the first time. Too much in the time, but we had to go to London a lot - Northern Line hell, still terrorist activity, the night Margaret Thatcher got the push and I got a cold a month. But I did it - then, when I moved to France discovered a rich seam of archives which I have been working on ever since. Now, a virtual prisoner, I can continue my research 'on line' whilst keeping an eye on Mr G. One old woman grouse - all my grand-children seem to spend their lives on social media and texting, but I seldom hear from them. I'm on Facebook, but it scares me stiff, and have not mastered it anyway. I also agree with Ian that the lack of human contact face to face is leading to a new wave of loneliness.

Jane SG Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 1:38pm

Wow, well done for completing that MA TG! By the way the Northern Line is still a nightmare.....!

Molly Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 3:12pm

Hello Gardener. You raise some very good points. As you say, it is impossible to police it, cyber attacks, bullying, etc etc, the list is endless. I echo Jane's comment, well done to you for achieving that MA, that is marvellous. I do feel for 'older' people, many of them, as you say, without a computer (and many younger than you as well) and then we are told on many occasion, that the internet is the only way to access some things and that will become more and more so, so how do some people cope. I guess they do rely on children/grandchildren etc to help them out. I do agree the younger generation spend FAR too much time on social media and I find this rather sad. My niece does not speak anymore, when visiting (also rare) she is glued to her phone and even my sister for instance will have to be checking hers every five minutes. People walking down the road, on their phones! In restaurants, on their phones! Personally I wouldn't be so rude. I try to commit myself 100% to the company I am in. But on a good point, it has helped you with the situation you are in 'being a virtual prisoner' and in that respect it has helped me too. Thank you for your very interesting response Gardener xx

Becky Thu, Jun 15th 2017 @ 10:38pm

Molly, you have inspired me. Yes, it is lovely indeed to have a handwritten letter arrive in the post, and it hardly ever happens anymore. So I'm going to write some and send them. Some of my friends will receive handwritten letters in the coming weeks. And, you never know, they might write back. Thank you for the inspiration.

Molly Fri, Jun 16th 2017 @ 12:35am

Hi Becky, I am glad I inspired you to write some handwritten letters. My hand writing is not great so sometimes I type something and print it off but still send it through the post. It is just nice to receive something on the doormat. A friend of mine sent me a thank you card in the post recently, just because I had her round for lunch. It made my day. Thank you Becky for your uplifting response xx

David Fri, Jun 16th 2017 @ 7:37am

I have read all the above comments and conclude like everything in life a balance has to be achieved.

Nicco Thu, Jun 29th 2017 @ 1:25pm

Sorry, I've come to this late. I agree with David. There are good things and bad things about the internet. However, I know that before I had it, I seemed to have more time to do things like knitting, crochet, sewing, etc. But, as I earn my living from it, I don't suppose I should complain!

Molly Sun, Jul 9th 2017 @ 1:19am

Just seen this comment Nicco, ages later, so I doubt you will see my reply. I agree the internet is a wonderful thing, I just feel it does take away some of our simple pleasures in life. I guess we just need to move with the times :-)

Silvia Thu, Jul 20th 2017 @ 4:13am

Yes, Molly to go to the post office to send letters and find a new one when back home...

Silvia Thu, Jul 20th 2017 @ 4:13am

Yes, Molly, to go to the post office to send letters and find a new one when back home...

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